


Oh, Kathryn, my Kathryn

by vavavavoom_beautifulbeautifulbombshell



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F, First Love, Fluff, Friendship, Kathryn is dense, Love Triangles, Romance, Seven is jealous, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:42:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29941896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vavavavoom_beautifulbeautifulbombshell/pseuds/vavavavoom_beautifulbeautifulbombshell
Summary: Ever since her first-ever away mission alongside none other than the Captain herself, Tal Celes has developed strong feelings for the older woman who she's grown quite close to ever since that time. The young woman's superior, Seven of Nine, is anything but happy about the Captain's new affections towards the timid Bajoran who she's giving even more of a hard time these days. Meanwhile, Janeway herself is blissfully unaware of the effect she has on her two friends...
Relationships: Kathryn Janeway/Seven of Nine
Comments: 8
Kudos: 19





	Oh, Kathryn, my Kathryn

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is, friends! I hope you're gonna enjoy this story. It turned out longer than expected. I can't deny that I had lots of fun writing it though. I'd been meaning to write something featuring Tal for a while now. So, thanks to the J/7 alcove Discord server for making this possible! You guys rock! :D

“The time is 0600 hours.” A pained groan left the form that was wrapped inside her blanket like a burrito. The brunette covered her face with her pillow, having no motivation to get up this morning. This wasn't entirely new to her, but it frustrated her regardless. The head of her department expected her to arrive at work punctually. That wasn't the main reason the young woman had been forcing herself to get up extra early these days, however.

Ever since the away mission with the Captain and their heart-to-heart in the aft section of the shuttle, the brunette's attraction towards her commanding officer had turned from harmless admiration to a full-blown crush. It was because of Janeway, that Tal Celes was working hard on proving herself worthy to be a member of this crew, Kathryn Janeway's crew.

The redhead and her, to the young woman's delight had developed what could be considered a friendly bond ever since that away mission, the Captain frequently inviting the smitten Bajoran over to her private quarters for lunch or dinner, or to meet at Chez Sandrine on the holodeck.

As much as she would like to think Janeway returned her affections, those daggers Seven of Nine shot her way whenever the older woman came for a visit to Astrometrics were enough to stop the anxious young woman from making any approach towards the redhead. That and then of course the fact that Janeway was commanding officer of Voyager, she a lowly nervous Ensign, who agewise could easily be her daughter.

Celes sighed, leaving her bed, at last, going through her morning routine, all the while her mind was filled with a certain redhead who had refused to leave it ever since their time spent on the Delta Flyer where the Captain had decided to play Good Shepherd and tend to her lost sheep, the young Bajoran being one of said sheep.

The brunette was about to leave her quarters when her comm badge chirped, indicating an incoming hail. Celes swallowed, steeling herself as best she could, as always preparing for the worst.

She sighed in relief when the voice of her best friend Billy Telfer greeted her. “Hey, Tal. You up already? I wanted to ask if you'd like to have breakfast in the mess hall together.”

She slapped her comm badge, answering her friend. “I'm not only up, but I'm already finished with my morning routine. Breakfast together sounds good. I'll meet you at the mess hall. Celes out!”

The young woman left her quarters with a spring in her step, taking the turbolift to the mess hall. Tal's heart almost stopped as the lift stopped on Deck 3, the doors opened, none other than Captain Kathryn Janeway in all her glory entering, a disarming smile that sent a flutter to the pit of the lovestruck young woman's stomach on her face, that husky voice making the Ensign feel very weak in her knees.

“Good morning, Ensign. You're early. Where are you headed?”

Tal smiled back in kind, a soft blush having formed on her cheeks, replying shyly. “Good morning, Captain. The early bird gets the worm. I'm headed for the mess hall. How about you? On your way to the bridge?”

Janeway's smile had turned even wider and Tal could swear she was about to go into overdrive. “That's the spirit, Ensign. I'm sure Seven is gonna appreciate your punctuality. It looks like we're headed in the same direction then. I'd kill for a cup of real coffee this morning.”

The young woman swallowed and nodded.

_And I'd kill to taste those exquisite lips of yours, Kathryn_

The timid brunette was glad when they arrived at the mess hall, the Captain and her parting ways, the former walking straight over to the galley while Tal sat at a table by the large viewport. Her mind was going a mile an hour. 

She could swear she could still smell the scent of the older woman's shampoo. 

_Oh, Gods! You've got it bad. There's no way a woman of her caliber is ever gonna fall for me, a lowly Ensign. The only reason she's being nice to me and socializing with me is most likely out of pity._

The young Bajoran's gloomy thoughts were distracted by the voice of her best friend. “Morning, Tal. You look pretty glum. Everything alright?” 

The brunette nodded, smiling softly at her friend. “Good morning, Billy. Yeah, everything's fine. Simply not used to my new sleep schedule yet, that's all.” 

The young Science officer nodded in understanding. “That makes sense. I'm still stunned you pulled it off so well until now. The Captain must be proud of you, right?” 

The young woman blushed profusely at her friend's statement, muttering. “I'd like to think so, but I dunno, Billy. She's still the Captain. Chances are high she merely pities me. Also, Seven is a whole other story. Making the Ice Queen proud is a thing of the impossible...” 

William Telfer nodded in understanding. “You're right there. I honestly can't imagine having Seven as my superior. She's pretty intimidating...”

All conversation ceased the moment Seven of Nine entered the mess hall, head held high, hands as per usual clasped behind her back, expression cold, some might say arrogant. The young ex-Borg was not at all pleased the find the mess hall rather packed at this hour. 

She regretted her decision of coming here and was on her way to retreat to her lab when a familiar husky voice stopped her in her tracks. “Good morning, Seven. On your way to getting one of your nutritional supplements?” 

The blonde swallowed, that unnerving flutter in the pit of her abdomen and her elevated vital functions giving her a hard time forming a coherent response. 

Her voice sounded unflappable as always, giving away none of her inner turmoil. “Good morning, Captain. Indeed. How about you? Are you 'tired' of replicated coffee?” 

The redhead chuckled and Seven had to ball her left Borg hand to contain a primal sound that threatened to worm its way up her throat. 

_Those 'chuckles' of hers are most distracting. This woman has the ability to make me so weak with little to no effort and the worst part is, she is so blissfully unaware of the effect she has on me._

Janeway replied accompanied by a wink that made Seven wonder if the redhead was aware after all, or if she simply enjoyed torturing her. “I love to indulge every now and again, Seven. Enjoy your breakfast.” 

Seven could not believe what the Captain had just told her. 

_She loves to indulge? Get your act together, Seven. Downloading all those explicit 21st-century_ _romance novels into my cortical node was a futile decision. There is no way the Captain meant to imply THAT. Or is there...?_

The young ex-Borg's mind was seemingly lightyears away, placing her order without a second thought. “Nutritional supplement 7 Alpha.”

Seven wandered back out of the mess hall, her heart still hammering against her chest, the words of the Captain replayed from her cortical node like a broken record. _I love to indulge every now and again, Seven. I love to indulge on you, Seven._

The young woman gasped, her cheeks in spite of herself turning the softest shade of pink in humiliation and shame at her own mind playing tricks on her. She sealed off the doors to her lab, leaning against her console, taking the first sip of her breakfast.

Seven's eyes turned wide in shock when she realized just what it was that she had ordered there. The blonde had to actually hold onto the console for stability, overcome with images, sensations, emotions.

An image of Janeway's lips flashed before her eyes, the older woman biting down on the bottom lip seductively. The scent of coffee and the older woman's unique blend wafted over to her, that alluring voice resounding from the depths of her mind, feeling like a memory.

_Seven, Seven, Seven. I see you've taken on some bad habits. Whatever happened to coffee is bad for your health, hm? Apparently, it can't be so bad, seeing as how you are drinking it yourself, enjoying it even. I thought the taste repulsed you? What has changed?_

Seven against her better knowledge muttered into the empty room. “You. My feelings for you, my attraction towards your person have changed my view on this matter. Coffee is still bad, unhealthy, yet I find the taste and scent to be... comforting because they remind me of you, Kathryn. I lo-”

The young woman was interrupted by cries from outside the door. “Seven, are you in there? It's Ensign Celes. My duty shift is about to begin. I know I'm a little early, but...”

The blonde sighed softly, unlocking the doors, calling out towards the young woman. “Ensign Celes. I appreciate your punctuality. However, I would prefer it if you could arrive at point 0800 like everyone else.”

The young woman visibly deflated, nodding her head. “Understood, Ma'am. Sorry for interrupting your breakfast...”

Tal Celes couldn't believe she had been reprimanded for arriving early.

_No matter what I'm doing, Seven's never satisfied. Guess, I'll always be subject to her hostility. Just what have I ever done to deserve this kind of treatment from her?_

The brunette felt much as if the ex-Borg was breathing down her neck for the whole of her duty shift today, even more so than usual. Tal had a hard time not making any errors out of sheer nervosity again, or worse still end up having a panic attack due to the pressure bestowed upon her shoulders.

Her mind once more drifted over towards a certain redhead, a dangerous habit that could very well lead to her experiencing Seven's infamous wrath again if she ended up miscalibrating things again after all due to being distracted.

The doors to Astrometrics swished open and in walked none other than the woman of both Tal and Seven's dreams, both blissfully unaware that the other felt the same for the Captain. Janeway who was completely oblivious to the effect she had on both women, sashayed over towards the direction both women were situated by the young Bajoran's console.

The Captain's tone was soft, warm, almost maternal. Meanwhile, Seven thought it sounded suspiciously flirtatious.

“How are things going here, Ensign? You seem to slowly get the hang of things, hm?”

She gently patted the brunette's shoulder, an action that sent the heat to the young woman's cheeks, an action which warmed Janeway's heart but enraged Seven who found herself fuming in rage.

The Captain turned towards Seven's direction. “Please go a little easy on her, Seven. Ensign Celes is doing her best. There's no need for you to look over her shoulder all the time. I know I wouldn't like it if someone would constantly breathe down my neck like that and I'm sure that neither would you.”

The blonde couldn't believe her ears, her blood by now boiling. Seven dug her nails into her palm, an action which was concealed to the other two women thanks to the fact that her hands were clasped behind her back in her typical fashion.

Her tone sounded icier than usual. “I will comply, Captain. If you would excuse me now. I have a duty report to write.”

Both Tal and Janeway blinked in confusion at the blonde's odd reaction and hasty retreat. The Captain asked the young woman she'd taken under her wing as a mentor and had over the time grown quite fond of conspiratorially. “Is she always like that?”

Tal felt the familiar flutter in the pit of her stomach at the close proximity to the Captain, the scent of the older woman's shampoo in combination with her beloved coffee turning her mind into mush.

The brunette muttered. “She was mad I arrived early for my shift this morning. I had apparently disturbed her breakfast...”

Janeway blinked. “She was mad you were early? Wow. I know if it was me, I always appreciate my bridge crew arriving for their shifts early. Don't take it to heart, Ensign. I'm sure Seven didn't mean it like that.”

The Captain's eyes turned wide when the young woman added in hushed tones, afraid Seven might hear her otherwise, aware of the blonde's enhanced hearing. “She had locked herself in here, Captain. I had to ask her to open the door for me since it was sealed with one of her Borg encryption codes.”

Janeway was utterly stunned, muttering. “That... is truly something. I guess she didn't want to be disturbed during her breakfast. I thought we were past this...”

The brunette frowned in confusion at the Captain's words, the redhead excusing herself for the bridge, leaving two emotionally shaken women in her wake.

The young woman arrived for dinner at the captain's quarters, her heart going a mile an hour. She'd gone out of her way to choose her outfit tonight. The emerald green dress showed off just enough skin to tease the Captain but it could still be considered decent and appropriate for the occasion.

Tal rang the chime, the answer coming promptly. “Come in!”

The brunette stepped over the threshold, heart thrumming in nervosity, palms sweaty. She had a hard time not letting her jaw hit the deck at the sight of Janeway in a black dress that left little to the imagination.

The redhead smirked in her direction, sashaying over to her.

Janeway's voice was a sensual purr, her hands caressing the younger woman's bare arms. “Good evening, darling. You look gorgeous in that dress. Seven, come over here. Our guest has arrived!”

The door to the captain's bedroom opened and out walked the young woman's superior, or at least the young woman assumed it must be her. The blonde for once wore her hair down, luscious golden blonde locks falling down to her shoulders, framing those ethereal features.

What stunned the brunette the most, however, was Seven's outfit. For once she wasn't wearing one of those skintight biosuits, but an elegant black suit, the first buttons of the white shirt underneath unbuttoned, a red tie hanging loosely around her neck, giving her an irresistible androgynous charm, the sight of the hint of her cleavage causing the young woman to swallow.

Seven approached her as well, licking her lips, her voice dark and sensual. “You look truly delectable, Ensign. How about we postpone dinner?”

Tal soon found herself on the captain's bed, the two other women kissing along her neck, their hands wandering her body, making her shiver in anticipation.

Seven asked in her typical Borg speech. “Do you have experience copulating, Ensign?”

The brunette flinched at her superior's words, her cheeks turning crimson in humiliation, her voice small. “No, I don't actually. Sorry...”

Her heart leaped as Janeway told her gently, kissing her cheek. “It's fine, darling. There's no need to feel ashamed or apologize. We promise to be gentle and patient. Right, Seven?”

The blonde's expression softened, so did her voice. “Correct. Do not worry, Tal. We will make this experience as pleasurable as possible for you.”

Tal nodded, her heart feeling warm and fuzzy at the way the two women cared for her.

Her voice sounded soft, a smile on her face. “Please proceed.”

The young woman didn't remember when her dress and lingerie had vanished or the other women's clothes for that matter, but didn't care. They lay on the bed, limbs tangled. She whimpered into Kathryn's mouth as two fingers of Seven's Borg enhanced left curled up inside her, the young woman's inner walls tightening, a knot forming in the pit of her stomach. A cry left her lips, her toes curling, back arching off the mattress as she climaxed.

“The time is 0600 hours.” Tal Celes awoke with a groan, her cheeks heating up at the memory of that vivid dream.

_Oh, heavens! I can't believe I dreamt of having a... threesome with the Captain and Seven out of all people. I mean, sure superficially speaking Seven is an undeniably gorgeous woman, but the way she treats me, that arrogant, stuck up behavior of hers, thinking she's so perfect, superior to everyone on board, safe for probably the Captain in a way makes her far less attractive than she could be. Still, I have to admit that she looked heavenly in that suit and oh, Gods, don't even get me started on those curves of hers, and damn did she know how to use those Borg enhanced fingers of hers._

_The best part of the dream was still kissing the Captain though, getting to see her both in that dress and naked. Oh, heavens! She was so sweet and the way she called me darling and looked at me with those beautiful blue puppy eyes like I was the best damn thing in the world. That sure felt great. Sigh. One can always dream, literally..._

When Ensign Celes arrived at point 0800 hours in Astrometrics to report for her duty shift this morning, she was stunned to find her superior was nowhere to be seen.

The young woman approached Icheb and asked him curiously. “Icheb, where is Seven?”

The young man stated voice laced in concern. “She was unable to regenerate the other night and had to report to sickbay first thing in the morning. I am in charge of Astrometrics today it seems.”

Celes immediately felt bad upon hearing the news regarding Seven's state of health. She couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with her odd behavior the day before. Ever since the Captain had visited Astrometrics the other day, Seven had been caving in, busying herself with that duty report, completely ignoring her, leaving her to work by herself which was highly unusual. Suddenly it felt as if a pin dropped in the young woman's mind.

_Oh, my God! Seven was jealous! She is interested in the Captain as well and she was jealous of her interactions with me, of us, being so close to each other, and that she paid little to no attention to her, but to me. That's it! I'm so slow sometimes. Not half as slow as Kathryn herself though, it seems. Seven is clearly madly in love with her, but the Captain is so blissfully unaware if her behavior is anything to go by._

_Oh, my. Now I honestly feel pretty bad for Seven. If I can relate to one thing, it's being in love with someone who doesn't share your affections. Then again, does Janeway really not reciprocate? It's obvious she cares a great deal for Seven, that they are very close. She has saved her so many times in the past, fought for her, even against the Borg Queen herself and she's also the one who decided to bring her on board in the first place, who severed her from the Collective, her guide in humanity, her mentor, her savior._

_They clearly have a very special bond. The question is, how do we get the Captain to admit her feelings?_

Seven of Nine had not wanted to report to sickbay at first. She was still shaking, raging with fury and this new vile feeling she had been able to classify as jealousy which seemed to encompass her whole being, resulting in her inability to regenerate the previous night and her inability to focus on anything other than a strong urge to rush off to her lab and punch the living daylights out of a certain Bajoran seemed to get the best of her.

_The nerve of this woman! I can not believe Kathryn would fall for her feigned naivety, those big brown puppy eyes, and that admittedly adorable innocent face. Tal Celes is not half as innocent as she pretends to be! That woman is infuriatingly chaotic, self-centered, unfocused, and disorganized. She might have not arrived late for her duty shift yesterday, but her timing still could not have been any worse! Punctuality clearly is not one of her strong points either, her behavior is erratic and her deductions illogical, irrational._

_I can not believe, Kathryn would defend her in the manner she did the other day. It almost felt as if she reprimanded me for correcting the Ensigns mistakes, for wanting to ascertain she would work properly this time and efficiently. I can hardly remember the last time Kathryn has invited me over to her quarters for dinner, or when we last spent any off-duty time together for that matter._

_These days she seems to prefer the company of that woman far more than anyone else's, especially mine. The mere thought that they might be more than friends is unbearable. They seemed so close yesterday, far too close for my liking, too close to be simply friends. It is true that Kathryn has a general dislike for personal space, often disregarding it and acting far too personal for a commanding officer. Yet, she seemed even closer to Tal Celes than is the norm for her._

_I wonder if she has ever been this close to me before. Perhaps she has, in the past. Back when she still seemed to care for me and at least acted as a friend towards me. These days seem to be a distant, bittersweet memory anymore._

The Doctor had given the young woman a hypospray with a sedative but so far, Seven had refused to inject herself with it. She felt far too alert to regenerate and she refused to rest before she had come up with a plan. The blonde balled her left Borg hand in determination.

_I will not give up on Kathryn so easily, surrender her to this woman, accept defeat as long as there is still hope that I stand a chance with the Captain. We have been friends for far longer than them. Our bond is much stronger than that between the Ensign and Kathryn._

_It is I to whose rescue Kathryn came time and time again, who she shared nightly philosophical discussions with, played Velocity with, allowed to go on the holodeck and join her in her Da Vinci program with, who she watched regenerate, 'tucked into bed', shared her childhood stories with, her hopes, fears, dreams, deepest darkest secrets, regrets, doubts, who she showed her vulnerable, fragile, small, private side to, the woman behind the mask of command, authority, that larger than life persona, Kathryn and how I loved, adored that side of hers, that woman who is so sensible, has a refreshing sense of humor, is so passionate, inspiring, loving, a dreamer, a philosopher and who certainly would make for a great mate, a great romantic partner._

_She is the perfect mate for me and so am I for her. If she refuses to accept that or is unable to realize that herself then I will show her, help her acknowledge it, accept it._

_There is another great advantage I have over Tal Celes. I am no official member of Kathryn's crew, merely a guest. I am no Starfleet Officer and no direct subordinate of the Captain. That beloved rule of no fraternizing does not apply in my case_

Satisfied with her deductions, Seven had made a plan to ask the Captain for a personal discussion right after her regeneration cycle would have concluded. The young woman was hopeful Janeway would invite her over to her private quarters for lunch or dinner where they could discuss the matter.

Seven would use this opportunity and woo the Captain. It seemed as if downloading all those 30 000 Giga Quads worth of data on the subject of romance into her cortical node might come in handy, after all.

Kathryn Janeway paced her ready room before coming to rest in front of the viewport, gazing out at the vast expanse of the black galaxy alight with countless stars. Voyager was nearing a closeby planetary system they planned to visit to restock on food supplies and resources. The second planet in the system, a class-M planet with lush green vegetation, sandy beaches, and lots of water sounded like the perfect spot to allow her crew some much-deserved shore leave.

The Captain was not sure if she should accompany her crew on their vacation, or if she should stay onboard as per usual and watch over her ship, her baby as her pilot typically referred to the Delta Flyer and he was right. In a sense, Voyager much felt like a part of her, an important, close family member, maybe even a lover. They had been through so much together, this ship and her.

 _Much like Seven and you, Katie._ The redhead blinked, wondering where on Earth that had just come from. Why was she reminded of her Astrometrics Officer in a moment like this? The petite woman was left no time to further question her thoughts, the crackle of her comm badge, indicating an incoming hail, preventing her from doing so. _Saved by the bell._ The Captain thought to herself.

Her eyes widened comically when the cool, detached voice of none other than the ship's resident ex-Borg greeted her. “Seven of Nine to Captain Janeway.”

Kathryn swallowed against the sudden dryness in her throat, ignoring her rapidly beating heart. “Janeway here. What may I do for you, Seven?”

The Captain felt a flutter in the pit of her stomach, her hands trembling in what she recognized to be anticipation and excitement. “There is a private matter I wish to discuss with you, Captain.”

_A private matter? What could this be and why in the name of Starfleet is my body acting up like that? Gods, I must be more desperate for shore leave than I had anticipated._

For a moment there, Janeway had a sense of foreboding, afraid the young woman might have bad news. She had been acting off these past few days, no weeks in fact. How long had it been since that away mission? She honestly wasn't able to tell. Time was elusive, especially as Captain of an intrepid class starship all the way out in the lonely, hostile Delta Quadrant.

The redhead finally suggested. “How about you join me for dinner at my quarters tonight? Does 1900 hours sound alright to you?”

Janeway's irritation with her own body grew at that strange flutter in the pit of her stomach picking up in intensity as the stoic young woman replied. “That would be acceptable.”

There was a small pause then the blonde added. “I am looking forward to dinner with you, Captain.”

Kathryn immediately felt the all too familiar sense of guilt wash over her at her friend's words. It had been far too long since they had last met like this, just the two of them, off-duty, Kathryn and Seven, not the Captain and her Chief Astrometrics Officer. A smile had formed on the older woman's face without her knowledge.

Her tone was warm, soft, void of its usual air of command when she told the younger woman. “I am looking forward to it as well, Seven. See you at 1900. Janeway out.”

The rest of her duty shift had gone by in a blur. During lunch, she had met with Tal Celes upon the younger woman's request. Janeway had been stunned beyond her wits at what the young Bajoran had said to her. Against her usual timid nature, the brunette had boldly asked the Captain regarding her feelings towards Seven of Nine.

Kathryn had been thankful to have decided to have lunch in her quarters and not in the rather public mess hall, not at all prepared for a rather personal discussion like that. At first, the Captain had been unsure how to answer her young friend. However, after contemplating the question and for once listening to her heart, knowing instinctively that she could trust the brunette she finally came to realize to her own shock, that somewhere along the way she had developed feelings of a romantic nature towards Seven.

To her surprise, the Ensign had smiled broadly at this, thanking her for her honesty and advising the older woman to confess to the ex-Borg. Janeway had been reluctant at first, but in the end had to admit to herself that the young Bajoran who she now referred to as Tal when they met in private, had a point. It had been far too long since Janeway had allowed herself to simply be a woman and not always the Captain and it was none other than Seven who she had to thank for that.

1900 hours had arrived sooner than anticipated, Janeway had been elated when her young friend had agreed to help her with dinner preparations, claiming it was the least she could do. Together they had prepared a menu consisting of three light courses, knowing that both Kathryn and Seven were no big eaters.

Tal had even helped pick an outfit and get her ready, a fact that had touched the older woman deeply who could not help but ask. “Why are you doing all these things for me, Tal?”

Her eyes had turned wide when the young woman told her genuinely. “Because I love you, Kathryn, and I want you to be happy. I can see how Seven and you are perfect for each other and as your friend I want to do everything in my might to give you two the happy ending you deserve.”

Kathryn had been moved to tears at the young woman's admission, feeling foolish and once more guilty for not having recognized the brunette's feelings before.

She'd placed a gentle kiss on the young woman's cheek, telling her tenderly. “I'm truly grateful to have a friend like you, Tal. You're an incredible young woman who holds a very special place in my heart and in my life. One day you will find someone who can love you the way you deserve to be loved.”

The young woman had smiled, tears in her own eyes. “Thank you for being my friend, Kathryn. Your friendship, acceptance, support, and guidance mean the world to me. Maybe one day I will find someone else. Until then, I will continue to love you, treasure this feeling in my heart.

Good luck with your date. I'm sure everything will work out perfectly and you look breathtaking. There's no way she'll say no to you looking like that.”

Janeway chuckled. “I hope you're right. Seven's gonna arrive any moment now. Gods, I can feel the nerves kicking in...”

Seven arrived punctually as only an ex-member of the Collective would. It was point 1900 hours when the young woman rang the chime to the captain's quarters, shaking with nerves and anxiety.

She was about to flee the scene when that alluring husky voice sounded over the comm channel. “Come in!”

Seven steeled herself, running a hand through her hair that already looked perfect as it was and which she wore down tonight before stepping over the threshold. The young blonde had a hard time not to gape at the sight to behold greeting her. Kathryn was wearing a black lace dress that left little to the imagination, her hair up in an elegant bun, sapphire earrings, and a matching necklace twinkling alongside her eyes that were of the same color.

For a moment there, the two women were both stunned to silence, each openly checking the other out, unable to move. Seven regained her bearings first, slowly, sensually approaching the older woman, producing a bouquet of red roses from behind her back, presenting it to Janeway who blinked.

Seven explained. “I deemed red roses to be the fitting gift. It is considered a romantic gesture, a sign of affection and admiration towards someone, typically a female a human individual is interested in. Is it not?”

Kathryn's heart rate elevated, her perspiration increasing, facts that Seven noticed with satisfaction.

The redhead's voice sounded smokier than usual when she asked the younger. “You are romantically interested in me, Seven?”

The blonde raised her ocular implant, stating matter-of-factly. “I believe I had just stated that 56.2 seconds ago. Had I not, Kathryn? Would you... agree to alter the nature of our relationship to a romantic one?”

For a moment there, Seven was prepared for the worst. Rejection, abandonment, isolation.

That is until Kathryn finally spoke up, her voice hoarse, thick with tears, a fact that alarmed Seven. “I would want nothing more than that, darling. Oh, Gods! I was such a fool not recognizing my feelings for you earlier, or yours, for that matter.

I'm so sorry for making you wait for so long. I'd been meaning to confess to you first, but you beat me to it. When it comes down to it, I'm a coward.

I admire your bravery, Seven. It must've taken quite a bit of courage to admit to those feelings, ask me out. You've come so far in terms of your humanity, becoming an individual, Seven. I'm so very proud of you and I love you with all that I am.”

The blonde pulled her close, their foreheads touching, a mere breath between their lips. Seven's voice was deeper than usual and felt like a caress to Janeway's severely starved body and soul. “Would now be a good time to initiate a 'kiss', Kathryn?”

The redhead's pupils were dilated, her irises almost black in desire, her voice dark in want. “Oh, yes, darling. Now's the perfect time.”

When their lips finally met, it felt like coming home. Both women were astounded how their mouths seemed to fit so perfectly onto each other, much like their hands, that had naturally entwined. That night not only Seven learned various new lessons on humanity, but so did Kathryn.

They both agreed to stay on board Voyager, for the time being, wanting to spend as much time with each other as possible, away from the rest of the crew who had mostly gone on shore leave. The newly found lovers would eventually go on shore leave themselves, but for now, they wanted to enjoy this honeymoon atmosphere and bask in that euphoric bliss of a new love.

Tal Celes stood at the beach, overlooking the deep aquamarine sea of the planet, her thoughts drifting over to her close friend and superior. A smile formed on the young woman's face. She was happy for them, truly she was. It was plain to see those two were meant for each other, destined.

Still, her heart belonged to Kathryn. She couldn't stop loving her and she mused that she should allow herself to feel this emotion for as long as she could.

The brunette's heart skipped a beat when a familiar voice she couldn't quite place called out from next to her. “Everything alright? You look pretty glum. Wanna join my team for beach volleyball? You look like you're good at sports.”

She turned to her side and was greeted by Voyager's Chief Engineer B'Elanna Torres. Tal's mouth went dry at the unusual sight of the beautiful half-Klingon clad in a one-piece swimsuit, her toned legs, biceps, and the hint of cleavage on display.

Finally finding the ability to speak again, the young Bajoran nodded, smiling at the older woman. “Beach volleyball sounds fun. Count me in. Where are you playing?”

B'Elanna grinned, wrapping one arm around the younger woman's bare waist, igniting an exciting prickle on the brunette's skin. “I'll take you there. Sorry, I seem to have forgotten your name.”

The young woman smiled, stating shyly. “That's fine. I'm Tal, Tal Celes.”

B'Elanna grinned. “Nice to meet you, Tal. You can call me Lanna, but psst. No word to anyone. Only a selected few get to call me by that name. You can feel special.”

And Tal felt very special indeed.

“So, anyway. It has come to my attention that you love gossip?”

_**The end** _


End file.
